Cost considerations
Always check with your insurance company to determine whether and which insulin injection devices and supplies are covered by your plan and what out-of-pocket costs are involved. If you do not have insurance coverage (or do not have prescription coverage), many pharmaceutical manufacturers offer patient assistance programs, which offer free or low-cost drugs and supplies to individuals who are unable to pay for their medicine. For more information, look on a specific company’s Web site or the Web sites www.rxassist.org or www.needymeds.com, or contact the Partnership for Prescription Assistance either online, at www.pparx.org, or by telephone, at (888) 477-2669.
Making your choice
The basic purpose of all insulin delivery devices is the same: to deliver the desired dose of insulin into the body to keep blood glucose levels under control. The device you choose should be one that’s easy for you to use and to afford. But picking one insulin delivery device now doesn’t mean you can’t switch to another — or to a combination of devices — in the future. If your needs, lifestyle, or fortunes change, you may decide that a different device might work better for you in your new situation.
To learn more about your insulin delivery device options, speak to the members of your diabetes care team, look at the Web sites or call the companies that manufacture such devices, and look for articles and product reviews in reliable Web sites and magazines about diabetes such as this one. You can also check out this comparison chart. Work closely with your diabetes care team to make sure you know how to use the device you choose effectively so that you can take the best care of yourself possible.
